Japanese submarine hits Hong Kong ship while surfacing
- When contacted by Japan’s coastguard, the Ocean Artemis’ crew said it had sustained no damage and they did not even feel the impact
- There was slight damage to the 84-metre-long Soryu submarine’s mast but it was able to continue sailing on its own, defence officials said
The 84-metre (246-foot) long Soryu submarine was in the process of surfacing about 27 nautical miles (50km) south of Cape Ashizuri on Japan’s southwestern island of Shikoku when it scraped the hull of the commercial vessel, the Maritime Self-Defence Force (MSDF) said in a statement.
There was slight damage to the submarine’s mast but it was able to continue sailing on its own, it said.
The navy did not identify the commercial ship, but NHK public television said it was the Hong Kong-registered bulk carrier Ocean Artemis.
It was transporting 90,000 tonnes of iron to Okayama in western Japan after leaving the Chinese port of Qingdao last Friday with 21 Chinese crew members, it said.
Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi told reporters that the collision was “extremely regrettable”.